DIEWERT, Theresa

Theresa (Tirza) Diewert (nee Lewandowski) was born on May 12, 1928, in Korist, Poland to Wilhelm and Olga (Mueller) Lewandowski. She was one of five children growing up on the farm in a loving Christian family.

WWII brought many difficult changes. The family was forced to relocate several times landing in Zleszyn, Poland for many years. In January 1945, while his family fled to Bremen, West Germany, Wilhelm was captured and died in the fall of that year. These traumatic events changed Theresa’s family’s life completely. In November 1947 in Bremen the church that Theresa attended regularly sponsored an evangelistic crusade. After watching her younger sister, Toni, commit her life to Jesus, Theresa followed a few days later. She and her sister, Toni, were baptized on April 7, 1948, by Reverend Fleishcher. Hoping to establish a new life, and receiving sponsorship from their relatives, the Ertman family in Millet, the Lewandowski family immigrated to Canada in August, 1948. They traveled on the ship, The Beaverbrae, to Quebec City, then by train to Edmonton. The family settled in Edmonton, Alberta and made Central Baptist Church their new spiritual home.

Theresa was introduced to her future husband, Herbert Diewert, by her sister while they both worked at the Kiwanis Children Home. They were married on July 15, 1952, by Rev. H. Pfeifer at Central Baptist Church. They were blessed with two children, Gail, and Neil. Through the years, Theresa helped with the household finances by cleaning various houses and a beauty salon, and later by babysitting. During her 25 years of babysitting, she cared for around 40 children.

Although Theresa never liked to travel, in 1967 she joined her brother, Erwin, sister-in-law, Lilly and sister, Milda, on a trip to Argentina to visit relatives, stopping in Peru and Mexico on the way back. In 1997 she again went to Argentina, continuing by bus to join a group in Brazil to help with a children’s camp. She made many trips to Stettler to visit her sister and family. In later years she made several trips to Vancouver and lots of trips to Calgary to visit her grandchildren.

Theresa’s faith was very important to her. She would share her beliefs with neighbours, relatives, and to whoever would listen. She was a willing helper in Women’s Missionary Society, at their bake sales, with White Cross and in the church kitchen at funerals and cooking at Camp Caroline. She also served as a deaconess for several years. At home she hosted many extended family gatherings sharing her poppy seed cake, fruit boden, streusel kuchen, apple pie, roast beef, rouladen and many German dishes. She especially loved cooking, baking cookies, and giving treats to her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She valued cleanliness and spent much effort making sure everything was sanitized. Her garden was always filled with garden peas for the grandchildren, potatoes, carrots, and flowers. Her lawn was immaculate like a golf course. During her time at the Kiwanis Children Home, she had taught herself to crochet doilies and over the years gave away many of them to relatives and friends.

Theresa passed away peacefully at 94 years of age, at the Jubilee Lodge Nursing Home on Sunday, January 29, 2023. It is with great sadness and much love that we say goodbye to our beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and aunt. Theresa is lovingly remembered by her children Gail (Clifford) Faszer, Neil (Ruby) Diewert and grandchildren Andrew (Keri), Matthew (Maike), Sharleen (Jake), Daniel, Danae (Casey), Kayla (Stephen), Neil (Aimee), Jodi (Ryan), and Kevin and great grandchildren Nathan, Ben, Eric, Luke, Noah, Grace, Toby, Brook, Clifford, June, Lincoln, Harper, Anthony, Evan, Chelsey, and Ethan. As well as her brother, Erwin Lewandowski, her sister, Hildegard (Senno) Krinke and numerous nephews and nieces. She is predeceased by her husband, Herbert, her sisters and brothers-in-law, Milda and Arthur Gretzinger and Toni and Arthur Ziegler and sister-in-law, Lilly Lewandowski.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Central Baptist Church, Connor Hill 9419 – 95 St. Edmonton, Alberta on Friday February 10, 2023 at 1:30 pm

The service will be available to view via livestream at: https://live.followingtogether.com/

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to: North American Baptist Conference missions www.nabconference.org;
Camp Caroline Society www.campcaroline.ab.ca/donate etransfer [email protected] (in memo line-donation) Box 250 Caroline, AB T0M 0M0 403.722.3939; Alberta Foundation for Diabetes Research www.albertadiabetesfoundation.com